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Two-Legged but Strong: Story of a Two-Legged Kittypet
This story is about a kittypet named Anakin who was born with no hind-legs. My first story. Prologue The sun shimmered on the snow outside, making it sparkle. Fog formed on the window, frost outlined in swirls. Wind weaved through the twiggy branches of the trees, setting them rattling. Ice lined the trunk, forcing it to shine. Inside, on the other paw, was warm and cozy. A tabby cat lay in a fuzzy pet bed, accompanied by a large white tom. He gazed down at her belly, where a small, grey and white kitten was suckling. The tabby looked up at her mate, sorrow in her green-and-amber depths. The white tom licked her in between the ears. "Why?" the she-cat murmured, sorrow filled her voice, "How will he move around?" The white tom puffed out his chest, his chin held high, "He has his two front legs," he meowed firmly, "He may not be able to walk like a normal cat, but he is still special." He bent down and licked his two-legged son. The she-cat smiled, the sorrow leaving her. She swept her tail over her grey and white kit, "What are we going to name him, Alaska?" she mewed. The tom licked his chest thoughtfully, "I have a name," he mewed, standing up, he turned to face the window, then craned his neck to look at his mate, "We will name him Anakin." The she-cat smiled, and looked at the scrap of fur at her belly. "Anakin," she murmured. Then she looked into Alaska's amber eyes and nodded, "I like that name." The newly-named kit felt it's way up his mother's belly and mewled as if in reply. And then, like a miracle, it pulled itself in between his mothers paws. Chapter 1 (half a moon later) or (2 weeks later) Alaska's Point of View Alaska stared down at his fluffy kit, his amber eyes gleaming. Anakin's eyes were still closed, but his kitten fluff was out. His white pelt with dark grey taby patches were visable, but his tabby stripes were just appearing. "His eyes should open anytime now," Alaska muttered impatiently to his mate, "What do you think, Brooke?" Brooke looked down at her hid-legless kit, snuggling aginst him. Anakin's flanks were rising and falling steadily as he slept. The tabby queen blinked up at her mate, "It's been quite a while, so I suppose you're right," she mewed. Alaska flicked his tail and left the room, hopping down the stairs into the kitchen. The loud sizzling of something sounded on the stove. He saw his housefolk standing in the kitchen, the female one cooking beside the sizzling houesfolk food and the male one sitting down at the table, holding something in it's furless paws. He padded up to the female and brushed his flank against her long, hind leg. Suddenly, she looked down and stroked Alaska with her forepaw, mewing something to him. He flicked his tail and licked her oddly shaped toe. She padded away and reached up into a Twoleg thing and returned with a few treats. He grasped them in his jaws, brushed against her hind leg with his flank, then raced away upstairs. He dropped a treat in front of Brooke. She gobbled it up and looked up at him. "I believe it's mealtime," he mewed. Brooke stood up, "Okay, I'll meet you downstairs." she meowed, "But first, I have to wake Anakin." The queen stood up carefully and nosed her kit. Alaska padded away through the door, and, just as he reached the head of the stairs, he heard his mate yowl. "Alaska!" she exclaimed, "Anakin's eyes are open!" Brooke's Point of View The tabby queen's pelt rippled and her ears flicked as she heard the frantic pattering of her mate's paws on the hard wood floor as he raced through the door and skidded to a halt beside Brooke. He stared down at his kit in amazement. Anakin's eyes were a milky olive green, still blind as it would wear off in a few sunrises. She heard the loud purr in Alaska's throat, his breath hot on her shoulder. Anaking squirmed around, mewling for his mother as he pwed his way around. Brooke grasped her kit by his scruff and, his tail brushing the cold floor, put him down on the wood. Anakin squealed in anger as his paws touched the cold floor, furious that his mother had taken him out of his warm bed. He pulled himself under his mother's neck trying to warm up. Then, he swatted her leg with his tail. "Anakin!" she exclaimed. His kitten-fluff poked out in all angles and he cowared away to his father. Alaska grabbed his scruff and took him to the door. Brooke's fur fluffed out in fear. She pelted after them, "Stop!" she yowled. Alaska froze in mid-step, and Anakin swung around in is jaws. He mewled angrily. The white tom set his kit down, his amber eyes glittered in confusion. He whirled around to face his mate, his tail curled around the tiny white and grey kit. "Did I do something wrong?" he meowed. Brooke's neck fur bristled, "What are you doing?" she asked angrily, "I'm supposed to take him downstairs!" The huge white cat pulled his son to his forepaws. Anakin squirmed around helplessly. "Does it matter?" he asked, "He's my kit too, you know. . ." Brooke snatched her kit away from her mate, "And I'm supposed to take him downstairs for the first time!" she snapped. She padded past her mate and he followed. She heard him snort, his hot breath on his tail. She flicked his nose with her tail-tip. When they reached the head of the stairs Anakin mewled in fear. His tail brushed air as he was held over the steps. "Don't worry, my dear," she mewed sotthingly through a mouthful of fur, "I won't drop you." She slowly went down the stairs, flanked by her mate. His eyes shone with determination. When they reached the downstairs, her housefolk were sitting down at the table. A scent of food hit her nose and she padded into the kitchen after Alaska, who brushed his flank against the female housefolk's leg. She looked over and meowed something to her mate. He stood up and padded over to the three cats. Brooke turned and padded away, Anakin still hanging, to the Living Room. She hopped onto the couch and lay down, her back against the couche's forepaw. Anaking nuzzled into her belly and began to suckle. Maybe he will become a fine cat, ''she thought. The female brought a small bowl of kittypet food and set it down in the space in front of her. Brooke licked up a few pellets, they were tasteless on her tongue. She felt Anakin's whiskers on her belly. ''I just know he will. Chapter 2 (A few sunrises later) or (A few days later) Alaska's Point of View "Anakin! Come back here!" The huge white tom called after his kit as he scurried away, dragging himself with his front paws. In his tiny jaws he held a fluffy mouse toy full of catnip. Moonlight bathed the floor, turning it to silver. "You're too young to me playing with catnip!" he snapped after his half-blind mischeivous kit. Lately, Anakin's kitten fluff was sticking out all over the place, even after a thorough grooming by his mother. He never sat still, and the milkyness in his eyes began to fade as he got older. The kit was pawing the toy with his tail, sliding it into the pool of moonlight. A soft touch on his shoulder made him snap back into reality. He whirled around to face Brooke, nose-to-nose as he stared into her gorgeous green-anber depths. He let out a snort of amusement as Anakin launched the catnip mouse at Alaska. He spun around again, and he slumped his haunches to the ground. "When am I not spinning!" he complained. Kits. Brooke let out an amused purr, brushing her tail across his muzzle, "That's what kits do," she mewed softly. She padded up to her kit, her tabby tail still lay on his nose. He sneezed. "Come on, Anakin," she nosed her kit into the pet bed. He let out a mew of protest. She clambered over him and curled up around him, "Time to sleep." The little gray-and-white kitten yawned and curled his tail over his nose. Brooke licked the kit's head and lay her head on her paws. She flicked her ears, beckoning Alaska to go over and settle himself beside her. He clambered over her legs and, trying not to step on the half-asleep kit, he settled in a bear patch of bed. As he finished settling, he lay his white head on his mate's fluffy back. He closed his amber eyes, and finally, a wave a dark sleep washed over him. . . . He woke with a start in a strange forest, grass curving over his paws. The clear water of a stream whispered int the moonlight. He leaped to his paws and gazed up into the indigo sky, stars shining brightly. "Stars. . ." he whispered in awe. He gazed at his surroundings, not seeing his house anywhere near. His ears flicked uncomfortably as an owl screeched angrily. He saw the huge, white wings beating as it took off into the night sky. His pelt started to bristle as he heard a strange rustling in the brambles. The stems twitched as a creature prowled through the forest. The breeze weaved through the leafy branches overhead. That's funny, he thought uneasily, It was leaf-bare the last time I looked outside. It was warm in the forest, the rustling in the shadows grew louder. He whirled around to see a cat slip out of the brambles, coloured pale in the starlight. "You have come." Alaska stared into her fiery amber eyes and he broad, flattened face. She had long, thick, matted, gray fur, and her breath stank. He winced as he spotted her broken, yellow teeth. He did not recognize this cat. "I have?" he asked her. The old cat nodded. "My name is Yellowfang," she mewed, "I came from the forest. You are currently in StarClan's hunting grounds." His mind whirled in confusion. StarClan? Yellowfang? What kind of names are ''those?'' You have dreamed your way here, as I have a very important message for you," she meowed. She sat down by the stream and ran her paw through the water. Starlight reflected in her eyes as she gazed back at him, "Your son is destined to leave your kittypet home. He has a destiny to save a Clan." "Clan?" he echoed. "A group of cats, who is ruled by a leader, run by a deputy, cared for by warriors and apprentices, and queens take care of their kits. You wouldn't understand," she continued. She padded around him, lecturing him on what a cat does in a Clan, how they hunt, fight, and live. "But he only has two legs!" he protested, trying to protect Anakin, "He won't be able to hunt normally. . . or fight normally. . . or anything ''normally!" Yellowfang sighed, "Why do you say that about him? You protected him from your mate when she said those things. Why are you saying them now?" Alaska froze, stung. She was right, but he didn't want to believe her. He lifted his head, "You want him that badly?" Her face was expressionless, her eyes and face blank. "This isn't what I want," she meowed, "This is ''his destiny." "And he's my son!" he retorted, protesting. Yellowfang heaved another sigh, "You can't change fate," she spun around and padded away, and, before disappearing into the shadows, she turned her head, "I expect a decision made by tomorrow night. In order to fulfill this decision, if he wishes to leave the life of a kittypet for the rest of his life, he must go into the forest beyond your fence." He cast one last glance at her pelt before it disappeared into the darkness. Brooke's Point of View Brooke lifted her head, blinking sleep from her eyes. The pale gray light of dawn shone through the window. She hoped to sleep longer, but her mate was twitching like a mouse in his sleep. She made no move to wake him. Anakin, who was still curled up, let out a large yawn. Brooke bent down and licked her son between the ears. He rolled around beside her belly until his whiskers tickled her belly. He began to suckle. She felt her mate's head jerk up suddenly. His breath was fast and she could feel his heart beating like the low growl of a monster. She craned her neck to stare in confusion. "I had a dream," he mewed urgently, "An important one." "About what?" she asked. "It was about Anakin," he began, "Apparently he has a destiny to leave us." Sadness circulated through her, ears to tail-tip. "What!" she wailed sorrowfully. Alaska began to tell the story of how he dreamed of Yellowfang, his son's destiny to leave, what cats do in a Clan. . . everything. Brooke's ears flattened in dismay, her tail sweeping around her kit. "She said I have to make a decision by tonight," he finished. "He isn't going anywhere!" she snapped at him, curling around her kit. She didn't want to lose her first kit. Not to other cats. "Not with two legs, anyway. He can get killed!" "Eventually all cats die!" he retorted. "He may have two legs, but we have to give him a chance." Brooke was taken aback. She stood up and stepped out of the pet bed, ignoring her son't mewl of protest. She curled her lip in the beginning of a snarl, "So you are letting ''him leave?" she demanded, "He's hardly a moon old!" "Yellowfang said I couldn't change fate, so once we make the decision, we can't take it back," he mewed seriously, not answering the tabby queen's question. "Well, I say he isn't going ''anywhere!" she repeated. "He is my kit too, you know." Alaska shook his head, "But he has to fulfill his destiny! I want him to stay, but he has to have a chance!" he repeated. "Give him a chance." Brooke stood over her kit. She bent down and whispered into his ear, "Stay by me if you want to stay here. If you want to join this. . . Clan, then go to your father." Anakin twitched. She smiled in satisfaction, but it quickly turned into a frown as the kit pulled himself to his father and slipped under his muzzle. "Fine," she mewed unhappily, "That was his choice." "So we can let him go?" he asked hopefully. Hesitantly, she nodded sorrowfully, "Yes." Chapter 3 (That Night) Alaska's Point of View Alaska crept down the dark hallway, followed by Brooke, who held Anakin in her jaws. Anakin twitched angrily, desperately trying to get out of her grasp. They rushed down the stairs carefully and out the cat-door into the backyard. The moon floated in the sky, glittering on the snow. The winds rattled the bare branches. Alaska had made sure he was well fed and warm before they left. Brooke set Anakin down in front of the hole in the fence. She licked his head, "Goodbye, my kit," she mewed sadly, "Take care of yourself." Alaska watched as his kit slipped through the hole and stared back through. Alaska gazed into the olive gaze of his kit; scared and cold. "Come back and visit soon," he mewed softly. Then, Anakin left and pulled himself through the snow. And that was the last time Alaska and Brooke had ever seen their kit. Good-bye Anakin, ''he sent a silent good-bye to him, ''I love you. . . . Alaska stood in the grassy clearing where he had last met Yellowfang. The stars twinkled in the sky, and the dark gray she-cat slipped out of the bracken. "You have chosen well," she mewed. "How is he going to find this, Clan ''thing you speak of?" he asked, concerned for his loner kit. "He won't need to find it," she mewed, kneading the ground with her paws, "''They will find him." Anakin's Point of View The small kit pulled himself through the snow. He had no idea where he was, or where his parents were. A tree appeared in his sight, and he rushed forward as fast as his two paws could drag him. Dead moss lined the tree, and a small tangle of roots made a small, yet perfect den for Anakin. Uncertain, he pulled a bramble tendril ove the den before slipping inside. Mama? he wailed inside of his head, Where are you? As time flew by, hunger started to claw at his belly. He shivered as the cold seeped through his fur. Fear pulsed through his veins. He mewled in fear, unaware of what was around him. A strange scent filled his nose, until darkness swept over him. He blinked fearfully, mewling. Then, light popped up as the bramble tendrils began to unfold. He could see paws push it to the sides, until he saw a pair of blue eyes glinting in the starlight. Scared, Anakin mewled, backing up into the den. He could just make out the shape of the creatures head; a cat. Then, he heard the cat yowl. "Hey!" it called. "Over here! I think I found something!" He heard more paw steps outside of the den. He shivered, not only in fear. He felt paws wrap around him and pull him into the light. He used his tiny claws to grip onto the twisted roots, but he lost grip and was pulled into the snow. He blinked until his eyes ajusted to the light. "What is it?" a white tom mewed. The gray cat who pulled him out cuffed the white tom arond the ear, "It's a kit, mouse-brain!" she snapped. Another she-cat, a tortoiseshell, pushed her way to the front of the group. "Great StarClan!" she exclaimed, "What's he doing out here all alone?" The gray she-cat sniffed him, "Smells of kittypet," her eyes grew wide as she gazed at his haunches, "He has no hind-legs!" He felt the six eyes burn into his pelt. He mewled in fear. The tortoiseshell grasped him in her jaws. He struggled and twitched, but could not get free. "Cloudtail, go back to camp and tell Bramblestar. He is freezing cold and is very young. We are on our way." she meowed through a mouthful of fur. The white tom pelted away, sending a shower of snow into the air. "Let's bring him back to camp," the gray she-cat meowed, "And we must hurry." Chapter 4 Anakin's Point of View Anakin wriggled around in the tortoiseshell's jaws as he was tossed around as they ran, following the white tom that pelted through the snow. He felt snow cling to his fur as his tail trailed in the snow, leaving a shallow path. He let out a squeal of pain as he felt his tail get squished uder a white paw. "Sorry!" the tortoiseshell whispered through muffled fur, "You'll be warm soon." He felt the cold wind flatten and weaved through his fur. He fluffed up his pelt and shivered. Suddenly, he herd the faint sound of mews in the didstance, before a thick wall of thorns came into sight. The moon sparkled on the thorny barrier. He felt a thorn scrape his ear as he was thrust into a tunnel of thorns. The tortoiseshell carrying him was padding through the tunnel and into a clearing. He heard the rustling in some dens he saw out of his olive eyes. Then he whipped his head around as he was brought up a rocky slope, sort of like the stairs in his home. Rocks tumbled down as the she-cats and the tom climbed up to a huge den on the wall of stone. "Bramblestar?" the gray she-cat called into the den, "We're back, and. . ." she continued hesitantly, ". . .and we have something you might want to see." "Come in," the deep mew of a cat came from the den. As he was forced through the bramble screen a dark tabby tom with broad shoulders came into sight. His fiery amber eyes glinted in the faint light and the muscles rippled under his pelt revealed an ugly scar that cut across his shoulder. Anakin winced, but relaxed as warmth spread through his fur. "What is there to report," the huge tabby asked. "We found this poor kit on the moonhigh patrol," the gray she-cat began, steeping aside to let the tortoiseshell set him down. Anakin fluffed up his pelt and curled up in fear. "Where?" the tabby tom asked. "In a makeshift den in the roots of the Sky-Oak," the white tom, Cloudtail, began. The leader bent down and sniffed the kit. He edged away slightly, pulling himself toward the unfamiliar cats who had found him. He bared his tiny teeth at the huge cat. The leader stood up and urred in amusement. His serious tone took over soon enough, though. "He smells of kittypet," his eyes were wide, "and he has no hind legs." "What, are you going to let him join the Clan?" the white cat asked, his eyes narrow in disbelief, "He'll just be an extra mouth to feed. We already have too many cats!" "But if he were to join," the tortoiseshell began suddenly, "Briarlight could be his mentor." The leader tipped his head thoughtfully before the white tom piped up, "Do you have bees in your brain, Sorreltail? We can't---" The leader interrupted him by slapping his tail over the tom's mouth," He may be helpless, but look at him." All the cats took a thorough stare at the hindlegless kit. He felt hot with the stares. "I think he should stay," the gray she-cat mewed. Sorreltail nodded, "I agree with Cinderheart." The white tom snorted, "Fine," he agreed hesitantly. "Then it is settled," the leader decided, "This kit will stay." "What will his name be?" Sorreltail asked. Cinderheart bent down and licked the kit between the ears. Anakin pulled himself under her chin and let out a purr, brushing his muzzle against her throat. He felt a purr rumbling in her throat. "I think he has a name, if he were a kittypet." Anakin opened his mouth and tried the best he could to say his name, "An-a-kin," came the distorted but understandable mewl -- and the first word -- of Anakin. He sounded out his name as he said it. "Anakin?" Cinderheart echoed. The kit purred again, pawing her whisker. "So then it's settled officially," Bramblestar mewed, "His name will be Anakin for now, and he will stay with the queens in the nursery." "Wait!" Cinderheart meowed quickley, "I want him to stay with me. . . for the night. I think he'll feel safer." "Suit yourself," the leader meowed, "And you can stay in the nursery with him. "Okay," Cinderheart grasped the kit in her jaws after mewing, "Welcome to ThunderClan, Anakin." Cinderheart's Point of View Cinderheart carefully clawed her way down the tumble of rocks from highledge, Anakin's tail trailing in the snow. She padded across the clearing and into the bramble screen of the nursery. Brightheart was curled up around her kits, her flanks rising and falling peacefully. Daisy slept in the corner by herself, now that Sorreltail was back to her warrior duties and her kits, Seedpaw and Lilypaw, were apprenticed. Carefully, she lay down in a deep nest of moss, setting Anakin down beside her belly. He snuggled closer to her as he went to sleep. . . . A rustling in the entrance of the nursery woke Cinderheart. She blinked sleep from her eyes, the milky light of dawn shining through the brambles. Frost glittered on the thorny tendrils. She craned her neck to see her golden mate, Lionblaze, peeking into the nursery. Carefully, he picked his way through the sleeping queens. Anakin still slept, his tail twitching in his sleep. Lionblaze gazed in astonishment at the kit, his jaw dropping. "Is that. . ." he trailed off. Cinderheart shook her head, "No, we found him on patrol yesterday," she whispered, making sure she wouldn't wake the other queens. She felt Anakin stir at her belly as he lifted his head and gazed around. He dragged himself to his favorite spot, Cinderheart's throat, and pressed against her. When he saw Lionblaze, he slunk down, mewling in fear. Cinderheart hushed him with a stroke of her tail. "The dawn patrol is leaving," Lionblaze mewed, "I'm on it, and you weren't in the warriors' den last night. So I came here to see if you were here." "Don't keep them waiting," she mewed. She stood up and followed her mate outside. She heard the brambles rattle behind her as Anakin dragged himself out. "Anakin. . ." she sighed. He pulled his way through the snow, snowflakes glittering on his pelt as he rolled around in the snow. This is going to be a long day, she thought. Chapter 5 Anakin's Point of View Anakin followed the gray she-cat around the clearing, pulling himself through the snow. Usually, she turned arouns and brought him back to the nursery so he could sleep more, but he kept sliding out of the den and playing in the snow. He felt bright gazes of hostility burning on his pelt. He looked around, his forepaws aching. The sun slowly rose into the sky, and with that, he finally retreated into the nursery and slept. He woke with a start in a clearing, green grass springing from the ground. He sniffed around, until he saw water rushing in a tiny stream. Then, he heard a soft mew behind him. "Hello, Anakin." Anakin spun around, his eyes wide. A dappled, brown tabby she-cat with clear blue eyes stood in front of him. Her paws and fur were lined with starlight. Moonlight turned her pet to silver. "My name is Honeyfern," she mewed softly, "I'll teach you how to walk on two paws." Anakin gazed at her in astonishment. Though she had four paws, how could she possily know how to walk on two paws? He sat, waiting. The she-cat put her forepaws firmly on the ground, and then she lifted her hind legs gracefully and balanced. She moved her front paws forward, padding around in the clearing. She stopped in front of him, landing on all four paws, "Now you try," she urged. Anakin set his forepaws down and lifted his haunches with his tail. Then, wobbling, he paced around the clearing on his paws. After a few heartbeats of practice, he padded up to Honeyfern and buried his muzzle into her starlit fur. But when he backed away, she had disolved into the shadows. He woke slowly in a deep nest of moss. He gazed around and saw a white-and-ginger queen suckling her kits. I know how to walk! Anakin stood up on his two paws. He paced up to the ginger-and-white queen, looking into her deep blue eye. She opened her eye wide in excitement. Her other side was horribly scarred, and he backed away a pace. He puffed out his chest. "It's okay, little one. I won't hurt you." she mewed quietly. Wearily, he paced up to her. He sniffed her kits, then her. Hesitantly, he curled up under her chin. A loud purr erupted from her throat. "What's your name?" he asked the queen. She gazed down at him, "My name is Brightheart," she mewed, "Are you Cinderheart's kit?" Anakin thought of the king gray she-cat that had taken care of him the previous night. He shook his hea in dismay. "No," he mewed,"my name's Anakin." Her gaze softened. "Well Anakin, you look very thin. Would you like to eat something?" she asked. Anakin gazed at the kits curled up at her belly. Gently, he crawled over the kits, trying to reach her belly. Happiness erpted in his throat as a tiny purr as he tasted the warm, familiar taste of milk. For a long time, he suckled happily. He felt the kits start to stir around him, so that's when he stopped. "Get off me, Dewkit!" a little she-kit squeaked. A little gray tom sprang away from the group, "Stop moving, Amberkit! You were sitting on---" he stopped as he saw Anakin. "Look! We have a new friend!" Amberkit and the other kit looked up at Anakin. They're argueing faded and turned into excited squeals of joy. They rushed up to him, but he shrunk shily. Brightheart got to her paws. "That's enough," she ordered, "He's new to the nursery." A cream-furred queen lifted her head. He beautiful blue eyes turned to Anakin and the other kits. "A new kit!" she exclaimed, leaping to her paws. She went to sniff Anakin curiously. "Who's kit are you?" Anakin became tense. He didn't know where his real mother was, or what she was doing. He didn't want to say he was of kittypet origin, so he just mewed, "I come from the forest. My mother abandoned me." he let his head droop as he thought of his real mother. "That's terrible!" the cream queen mewed. "I'm Daisy, and I'll take good care of you---your legs! Where are they?" Anakin turned to his haunches and saw nthing but his tail and fur. "I was born without hind legs." he meowed. He showed the other kits and the two queens how he walked. "Don't worry, little one." Daisy meowed, "You'll be safe with us." Jayfeather's Point of View A half-moon floated in the sky, casting silver light down into the forest. The roaring of the stream came into earshot as he approached the usual meeting place. Littlecloud and Kestrelflight were already there, along with a cat Jayfeather didn't recognize. "Hello, Jayfeather," Littlecloud rasped. "This is my new apprentice, Mistpaw." "Hey, Jayfeather," Mistpaw mewed shyly. Jayfeather nodded to the new apprentice. His ears pricked as Willowshine came bounding toward them, panting. "Sorry I'm late!" she gasped, "Mistystar was holding a Clan meeting." Littlecloud bent over to Mistpaw, "That's Willowshine, RiverClan's medicine cat apprentice." Jayfeather heard an uncertain mumble from the ShadowClan apprentice. "We should be going," Jayfeather grunted with impatience. Kestrelflight and Willowshine padded upstream, while the two ShadowClan cats followed. Jayfeather tagged along the rear. He felt the ShadowClan she-cat's spiky-furred tail slap his face. "Watch it!" he snapped. Mistpaw's apologetic mumble came from in front, "I'm sorry, Jayfeather." He rolled his blind blue eyes. His anger faded as he felt cool stone benneath his paws. He climbed the rocks, hearing the roar of the waterfall. Whispers and belts brushed his pelt as he placed his paws in the ancient pawprints. The tang of icy water nipped his nose. Before he could settle beside the Moonpool, Littlecloud called to the medicine cats. "I must present my new apprentice to StarClan," he mewed. He gazed up to the stars, "StarClan, I present to you my apprentice; Mistpaw. I pray you accept her as you have for me." "Mistpaw! Mistpaw!" the medicine cats called out her name. "Now, let's share dreams with StarClan. . ." Jayfeather settled beside the Moonpool, ignoring the Medicine cat instructing his apprentice. He lapped up a few drops of icy water, then blackness greeted him. The stone floor was gone, until he opened his eyes to see the starlit hunting grounds. Jayfeather looked around; the trees were green and lush, the sound of prey ecoed in the forest. The green, springy grass popped up between his paws. He looked into the distance to see a familiar black pelt. "Hollyleaf!" he called. Hollyleaf turned her gaze to him, and bounded toward him. "Jayfeather!" she greeted him, toching his nose with hers. Grief welled up inside him as he remembered watching her bleed to death. A stone weighed in his heart. "I miss you," he meowed. Hollyleaf purred, "Me too." He spun around to a rustling in the bushes. He recognized the starry figures of Ferncloud and Mousefur. Mousefur looked young and strong, and Ferncloud's pelt was shimmering. She was holding a mouse. "What to share?" she called to Hollyleaf. "No, thank you. Maybe later," she replied. She led Jayfeather into the bushed into a grassy clearing. A stream bubbled up around rocks, and she ran her paw through it. Jayfeather looked around; all was quiet. "Is there anything you can tell me?" he asked. Hollyleaf looked up to the stars, her eyes glowing. "Yes," she mewed, turning to Jayfeather, "There is a great threat in the forest," she began. "What?" Jayfeather asked, but he knew he wouldn't get the answer. "That is something you will have to find out on your own," Hollyleaf replied as expected. She shuddered, "And it's not the Dark Forest." "Although walking is not a strength, they will unite and find a way to rid the forest of darkness." "What does that mean?" he asked, but Hollyleaf was melting into the shadows. "Wait!" he called to her, but the only trace of her were sparkles on the grass where she was a heartbeat ago. He opened his eyes to darkness, the cold stone floor of the Moonpool under him. I will find a way. Chapter 6 Anakin's Point of View "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highlegde for a Clan meeting!" Anaking gazed up at the hude rock called Highledge, where Bramblestar stood, his muscles rippling under his pelt. His amber eyes scorched Anakin's soft fur, but he held his ground. Cinderheart sat behind him, licking him fiercly to smooth his fur. It had been five moons since Anakin joined Thunderclan. He was aware of all of the cats staring at him, their eyes full of hostility, but he remained unharmed. In the past, Cherrypaw and Molepaw, had become warriors, now Cherryfrost and Moleclaw. Lilykit and Seedkit had become apprentices, now Lilypaw and Seedpaw. Sadly, one of the elders, Purdy, had died peacefully. Dovewing had moved to the nursery, expecting kits. From the size of her belly, she was very close to having kis. He was excited for this meeting, however, because he was going to get his Clan name. He stared up at his mother, (He thought Cinderheart was his mother, because he didn't remember Brooke) confidence and excitement prickling his pelt, "Is it coming yet?" he asked, impatiently. Cinderheart's belly had started to swell, showing that she was expecting kits. Lionblaze sat proudly beside his mate, puffing out his chest. Bramblestar started to speak, "We have had this young clanmate join us moons ago. Today, he will get his Clan name." Quiet murmurs rose from the crowd. Cheers erupted from some cats, but others remained silent. "Anakin," he gazed at the kit. Anakin shifted his paws, standing up. He padded to the center of the clearing, where Bramblestar was looking. "From this day forward, you should be known as Onekit. You will become a ThunderClan apprentice in a few moons, though." Bramblestar named him. Cheers epupted once again, but Bramblestar was not finished, "There is something else I'd like to do." The cats looked up. Amberkit, Snowkit and Dewkit poked their heads out from the nursery. "I'd like to name three new apprentices." Amberkit raced out of the Nursery, followed by Dewkit. Snowkit followed slowly, being licked by his mother. "Now, behave, will you?" Brightheart mewed to her kits. Bramblestar leaped down the tumble of rocks, "Amberkit, from this moment you should be known as Amberpaw." "Amberpaw!" her clanmates called out her new name. "Poppyfrost, you will be mentor to Amberpaw. I hope you will pass on your skills to her." The tortoiseshell warrior dipped her head, "I'll try my best." she padded up to Amberpaw and touched noses to her new apprentice. "Snowkit. From this moment on you will be known as Snowpaw." Bramblestar named gim. "Snowpaw!" his Clanmates called out his names like they did with his sister. Bramblestar turned his gaze onto a tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat, "Blossomfall, you will mentor Snowpaw. You have amzing hunting skills, and hopefully you pass these on to him." "I will do everything I can," she touched noses with her apprentice. Bramblestar turned his gaze to the dark-gray tom. "Dewkit, from this moment you will be known as Dewpaw." "Dewpaw!" the Clan cheered. Bramblestar gazed into a ginger tabby's amber eyes, "Cherryfrost, you will mentor Dewpaw. Hopefully you can pass your skills that Rosepetal has tought you to Dewpaw." Cherryfrost dipped her head, then touched noses with Dewpaw. "Dewpaw! Snowpaw! Amberpaw!"